Well, 2009 has started with a rush.
Had the family over for Christmas dinner on Boxing Day, though one grandson didn’t come and he was missed. The turkey was overdone, the gravy not thick enough, and no one but me liked Brussel’s sprouts, but that’s OK – there was plenty, and good conversation.
One interesting thing was the carrots. I bought a bag of heritage carrots from my butcher’s store, and they are really interesting colours. Some are pale yellow like parsnips, some are pinkish red, and others are dark purple on the outside with a layer of red inside that, and then an orange centre. ALL the kids ate carrots this year when they had never before eaten just plain old orange roasted carrots. Hm-m-m-m . . .
Then had some girlfriends over for wine and cheese and catching up on New Year’s Day. That was really fun too. I don’t seem to get a chance to see my friends nearly as much as I’d like to and this year has been especially bad.
What with the SAD acting up enormously since I came home from S Africa, going from rapidly increasing summer sun there to end of October no sun here, then not even getting the batteries charged again this summer since it was so dull, cool and rainy all summer, I’ve really been hibernating a lot. Got to give myself a shake for sure.
I’ve now got a short trip to the sun planned for early February. I’m going to Mexico for the first time, and taking my eldest grand daughter. Mexico was her choice, and I think we have found a great place to go.
We’ll be spending the week in a hotel at Huatulco, which is south of Acapulco. Not nearly as touristed yet, there should be no WalMarts and Mickey D’s, just a couple of small Mexican towns nearby and what look like some good eco-tourism options for extra things to do. I think we’ll have a great time and I’ll get some time to know her better as she’s off to Uni next year so likely won’t be around much.
I also want to go on Income-Averaged Leave again at work – this time for two months, as the three months last time cut it really too close, financially, for the rest of the year. I’m thinking that this time I’ll go to Thailand or maybe Sri Lanka. There are some good volunteer opportunities there, working in a tourist park and helping out and teaching English, or teaching English to the local monks at the monastery – all seem pretty interesting.
I’d spend 6 weeks doing that, and then 2 weeks seeing something more of the country.
Problem is, I’d like to arrange it for April and May, and I don’t know if I have time. I originally wanted to go in March, but my house-sitter is tentatively booked already for the month – but no firms dates which is a real problem. If he’s going (he’s a tenant here) I’d like to get the floors upstairs replaced, but his house owner never gives him enough advance notice for me to plan this.
I really don’t know how else to get this done since the rooms will have to be emptied out. I’ll maybe just have to find someplace for him to stay while it’s being done.
Anyway, I’ll see what can be done, and watch this space for future developments.
Happy New Year to you all!!
